Under All of That
by stuckbeingrachel
Summary: 'Make-up doesn't give you beauty, it hides it. It doesn't hide ugliness, it shows it.' Amber thinks she needs to wear make-up to look pretty. Can Jerome show her the beauty she's hiding under all of that? Jamber FRIENDSHIP! Hint of Amfie romance! R&R?


**So, yah, what the heck, y'all? I uploaded an Amfie and no one's reading it. **

**This is a Jamber friendship! Enjoy?**

* * *

"Oh, good, Mara—" Amber sighs in relief but freezes when she saw it isn't her roommate. "You're not Mara."

"What was your first clue?" Jerome asks, shutting the door behind him. He moves over to Mara's dresser and shifts through the drawers.

"What do you think you're doing? Snooping through your girlfriend's things? I thought you liked Mara."

"I do like Mara. She needs a notebook and I volunteered to get one for her." the blonde replies, grabbing a blue, spiral notebook out of the bottom drawer. He flips through it and when he finds that all of the pages are clear, he shuts the drawer and begins walking to the door. He nods to Amber and opens the door before halting, hand on the knob. He shuts the door and looks back at her. "You realize your face has two completely different sides, right?"

"Yes, I'm trying to decide what I should do with my make-up today. Can you help me? You're an expert on looking good after all, who better to help me?"

"I really have to get down to Mara and head over to school—"

"School isn't for another half an hour. Help me." she orders and points to her face, one side with silvery eye shadow, pink lipstick and a light blush; the other side with silvery eyeliner and red lipstick. "Which side?"

"Neither." He says, walking to the door. "Bye—"

"Then wait while I change it. If you don't help, I'll text everyone in school that you're cheating on Mara, even though it's a lie, correct?"

Jerome sits down on Mara's bed quickly. "Absolutely; please, continue."

The blonde smiles in triumph and takes a seat at her vanity. She quickly changes the two sides and then turns around for him to see.

"No."

"Neither of them?"

Jerome nods and runs a hand through his hair, taking a peek at his watch. Fifteen minutes until school starts. Mara is going to wonder why he is taking so long too. He thinks about sneaking out of the room, but only for a second, realizing that Amber will most definitely send out that text that would ruin his and Mara's relationship.

"What about these?"

"Nope."

Amber frowns. She's beginning to think he was going to say that he didn't like any of them. Maybe if she was Mara he would like the make-up. But, then again, Mara doesn't wear make-up. Maybe that's why he likes her.

"That one, right there!" Jerome points to her reflection in the mirror.

Amber turns to him with an annoyed expression. "I haven't changed the make-up yet, I'm not wearing any."

"I know; it's a good look for you. Why don't you ever go to school like that?"

"Because, make-up makes me look—"

"Like a Barbie?" Jerome arches a dark eyebrow at her. "Yeah, you know, that's what people call you, a life size version of a perfect, plastic Barbie doll."

"People don't say that about me." Amber snaps, hurt shading her gray eyes.

"Yeah, they do."

"You're such a jerk, you know that? Did you start that? I don't know what Mara sees in you. I bet you hypnotized her, blackmailed her—"

"Or maybe, I didn't start that and she likes me for me. Now, don't bring her into this. But trust me; being called a Barbie is a major insult. You're being pegged as a blonde ditz that doesn't know anything but the difference between two designer labels. Amber, the fact that you walk around, fixing your hair and make-up and everything, makes you look perfect, which puts other girls down because most of them can't afford the clothes you have. Your hair, your make-up, your skin, your clothes, your shoes, your money, your little gadgets—everything you own, makes you seem like a Barbie.

"Look, I'm not trying to be mean, honest. But, make-up doesn't give you beauty, it hides it. It doesn't hide ugliness, it shows it. No matter what magazines, commercials, experts, movies, celebrities, role models, or anything else that says make-up makes you look pretty, is lying. You've got some beauty under all of that. I've never seen you without make-up when I think about it. And I promise you, I'm not the only one that sees that beauty." Jerome says, staring into her shimmering eyes, practically begging her to believe him.

She's stays silent and he speaks up again.

"Why do you wear make-up anyway?"

His blue eyes flit to her alarm clock on the other side of the room. He has less than two minutes to get downstairs, give Mara her notebook and get to school.

"Because it makes me feel pretty…" she mumbles, a blush spreading across her pale cheeks.

"But wearing no make-up makes you look beautiful. Okay, look, go to school without any make-up and if you get a bunch of compliments, then you have to admit I'm right and tell Alfie you love him, and don't deny that you don't; I can see it in your eyes when you look at him."

"The first one is lame and the second one has absolutely nothing to do with you."

"It'll make me feel good."

"Fine, but, if I don't get compliments, then you have to go to let Patricia do your hair tomorrow for school."

Jerome raises an eyebrow at the blonde. That seems like a fair trade. He expected something as clever, malicious, and devious to come from Amber Millington. She is very smart when she wants to be. And he knows why she wants that do to be the trade. He had pranked the Goth the other day and she had been majorly ticked. This would be her revenge.

"Alright," he nods and she cautiously shakes the hand he held out for her. "I'll see you at school, Millington." He smirks and leaves the room, Mara's notebook in hand.

* * *

Amber presses her lips together in nervousness as she pushes the school's double doors open.

She had followed Jerome's instructions and kept her make-up off. Her face was pale, feeling very off and light without the extra weight from the many powders she's used before. Her lips, without lip gloss or lipstick, are a light pink. They'd shine in the light every time she'd lick them, which was often; she kept expecting to taste watermelon, but she got nothing each time.

And to her major surprise, within the first two minutes of entering the building, she was drowned in comments on her appearance. She makes her way to the history class room and slips into the room. Jerome and Mara are seated in the front row, Patricia and Joy in the middle row, Fabian and Eddie seated at the desk next to the girls, but no sign of Alfie.

"Hey, Ambs—whoa!"

Of course it's her boyfriend that walks in just as she does. Her heart rate speeds up as she waits for his comment on her appearance.

"You look incredible today, Amber!" he exclaims.

A blush paints her cheeks and she tucks a strand of her curled hair behind her ear.

"Told you."

Amber turns to Jerome and Alfie grins over her shoulder at his best friend. Jerome continues to smirk at her as Alfie gawks. The others call out compliments and Mara sends her boyfriend a questioning look, which he waves off.

"Pay up," he prompts, raising his dark eyebrows at her.

"Fine, I admit it, you were right, I don't need to wear make-up to look pretty."

Jerome pumps his fist and motions to her and Alfie. "You know what to do."

Amber takes a deep and whips around to look her boyfriend in the eye. Brown. She will never admit it, but they make her melt just by looking at them.

"Alfie Lewis, I am in love with you."

The others watch with interest as Alfie stares at her blankly for a second before grinning.

"love you, too, Ambs!" he cheers and jumps happily. He wraps his arms around her waist and kisses her.

"I have done my part." Jerome mutters to himself, smirking as he watches the happy couple.

Amber breaks away from Alfie as other students file into the room. She hurries over to Jerome's table and bends down, wrapping her arms around his neck, hugging him from the side. The other teenagers look on with surprised and horrified expressions.

Jerome lets out a breathy chuckle. "Amber, I know you're a hugger, but," he clears his throat, patting her shoulder. "I'm not."

She releases him a second later. "Thank you, Jerome, I didn't know you could be so sweet and deep." she smiles and skips to her desk and takes a seat next to Alfie.

Jerome shakes his head and closes his eyes, feeling the others' eyes on him. "Why do I have to care enough to help people with their problems?" he mumbles.

Mara looks up at him and arches a delicate eyebrow.

"I'll explain later." he promises.

* * *

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**Why has no one read my Amfie fic? Long Distance? Hellloooooooo?!**

_**Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?" -John 11:40**_

**Love you guys!**

**-Rachel**


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